Merry Christmas 2018

Another year has almost come to an end and it is a time to reflect on the events of the last year.  We had some great times traveling, fishing, visiting friends, searching for Medalta and even finding a few pieces to add to our collection.  Life is about making memories and we have certainly done of that n 2018.

I grew up in a family that owned a small business and at this time of year my parents always had something  to give to their customers that would have been carefully thought out and purchased several months ago.  There were merchants that ordered pottery from the companies in Medicine Hat to give to their customers at Christmas time.







Copied with permission of the writer:

Most of the pottery plants in the Medicine Hat area produced advertising pieces for businesses that
gave the item away at Christmas time as a thank you for the patronage of their customers over the course of the year.  Medalta made a few like the ship style pitcher for C.H. Nash which said        XMAS 1934 on the side opposite the sailboat decoration, but the mention of Christmas was the exception not the rule. When you look at the Medalta sales records, you find that the majority of orders for named wares came in the months from September to December.

All of the Toshach pieces for example were gifts given to their customers just before Christmas. When I interviewed some of the Toshach family members some 15 years ago, they vividly recalled having to help their parents deliver those pitchers and mixing bowls throughout the rural Drumheller area.

Medicine Hat Potteries produced a few with Season's Greetings such as the S.E. Gust store pitcher and the High River Furniture Store candy bowl, the candy bowl being available in both
3-inch and 5-inch sizes.  Hycroft was more prolific when it comes to Christmas wishes.







From our house to yours.......Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and all the Best for the New Year!

And the Search Continues.....

Medicine Hat Potteries

Medicine Hat Potteries (Yuill's Company), a Division of Alberta Clay Products Company Limited operated from 1938-1955.  Although Medalta was struggling through the depression Walter Armstrong convinced Hop Yuill to build one of the most modern pottery factories in Canada. 

 

Medicine Hat Potteries, with its state of the art factory did not have any trouble attracting employees from their neighbor Medalta Potteries.  Medicine Hat Potteries designed a trademark  "Little Chief" or as it is commonly referred to as "Sleepy Indian". 


The salesmen at Medicine Hat Potteries were selling products faster than the factory could produce them and they got some products from Medalta.  It always worth checking pieces closely to see you might be lucky enough to find a piece marked Medalta with the Little Chief stamp as well.

Medicine Hat Potteries developed a full line of products including crocks from 1/4 gallon through to 50 gallon sizes, butter crocks, pickle jars, shoulder jugs from 1/4 gallon to 5 gallon size, several sizes of butter churns, ice-water cooler, bed warmer, a spittoon, acid pitcher, chicken waterer, florist jar, several sizes of bean pots, and jam or honey jars.








 World War II brought many changes with the pottery producing dishes for the Canadian Armed Forces, the dishes they produced were a heavy, plain white pottery.  After the war they geared up for production of dishes, advertising items, vases, dinnerware including the popular Canadiana series.  They produced mixing and pudding bowls (each in 4 or more sizes), candy bowls, teapots in 3 sizes, a trivet, a pie plate, a coffee pot, refrigerator jars, casserole dish, beer stein, ice water pitcher with matching tumblers,four style of pitchers each in four sizes, jam jars, and even a dog dish.

One of the most popular series was the Canadiana Dinner ware designed by Malcolm McArthur and was embellished with a moose, a trout, a police officer, oil derrick and grain elevator on the dinner plate.  The rest of the dishes were embellished with  a green maple leaf.

Medicine Hat Potteries also produced some dishes with the calico pattern and stamped with the Little Chief stamp.  Decorative plates named Chinook were also produced by Medicine Hat Potteries.  Cherokee is the name of another series of products.











Medicine Hat Potteries made over four different wall vases and at least six different mantle vases in various shapes and patterns.  There were several ashtrays produced and at least five different animal planters.

Medicine Hat Potteries is still fairly easy to find.








And the Search Continues....

Photo Blog...

Medalta vase #104 made 1930 - ??.  It was made in various sizes 7, 10, 12, 15, 18 and  24", with numerous colors and decorations.  Some of the vases have embossed decorations and other have the shape of the top the vase changed to a square type opening.

Enjoy the photos and ask questions.....

       And the Search Continues.......
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

A Quick Road Trip to Southern Alberta

We recently made a quick road trip into southern Alberta to pick up some pottery pieces that we had spoken for several months ago.  We made a quick stop at the Medalta Museum so I could take some photos to use as reference later.

There are Alberta Pottery pieces:

Inside the kiln is filled with crocks, butterchurns, water coolers and other stoneware pieces.

We asked and were taken back into the back storage area and also took a few photos there.  There have been lots of changes int he storage area since our last peak at the shelves and they have been busy photographing pieces and putting them up on the website. 

Athabaca Pottery in the back storeroom:

P.I.E. pieces from the back storeroom:

Jack Fuller pieces from the back storeroom....has anyone ever seen the dinosaur before?

Enjoy the photos and next time you head to Medicine Hat take the time to stop at the museum.



And the Search Continues...